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World Cup: 5 players to watch from Switzerland

Switzerland fans celebrate victory in the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group H match between Spain and Switzerland at Durban Stadium on June 16, 2010 in Durban, South Africa. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

GENEVA – Perhaps this is Switzerland’s best chance to make an impression at the World Cup.

The Swiss have a talented group of mostly young players who are aiming to give veteran coach Ottmar Hitzfeld a fitting finale for his career.

Here are five players to watch:

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Munich’s Xherdan Shaqiri warms up during a training session at the club’s training grounds at Saebener Strasse in Munich, Germany, 28 April 2014. Bayern Munich faces Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League semifinals second leg match on 29 April 2014. EPA/ANDREAS GEBERT

XHERDAN SHAQIRI

Still only 22, Xherdan Shaqiri should make many lists of potential breakout stars in Brazil.

Shaqiri will be going to his second World Cup with talent has not yet been fully exposed.

At Bayern Munich, the stocky wide attacker has to wait for his chance in the biggest Champions League matches behind Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben and Thomas Mueller. In the Bundesliga, Shaqiri is a consistent scorer and assist provider for the runaway champions.

Despite tight and physical marking from opponents in Brazil, Shaqiri has strength and balance to compare with the similarly sized Lionel Messi.

The poor man’s Messi? It sounds like an insult, but really isn’t.

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Fiorentina’s Chilean midfielder David Pizarro (R) vies with Napoli’s Swiss midfielder Gokhan Inler during the Italian Tim Cup football final between Fiorentina and Napoli on May 3, 2014 at the Olimpico stadium in Rome. The Italian Cup final between Fiorentina and Napoli was momentarily delayed on Saturday following pre-match shootings, with reports suggesting four men had been injured, one seriously. Over 30,000 fans from both clubs were estimated to have travelled to the capital for the Cup final at Rome’s Olympic Stadium. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE

GOKHAN INLER

Switzerland fans have long looked for Gokhan Inler to step up and be “patron” of the midfield.

Now captain of the “Nati,” Inler has increasingly shown the strength and creativity to dictate play. However, it is an intriguing tussle for central midfield slots among Napoli teammates Inler, Valon Behrami and Blerim Dzemaili.

Behrami and Dzemaili stood out in a 1-0 win over Brazil last August. Inler was benched because he would be suspended for a subsequent World Cup qualifier, so Hitzfeld paired the other two.

Inler soon returned and, celebrating his 30th birthday in Brazil after the group stage ends, should be in his prime.

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Chelsea’s Nigerian forward Vitor Moses (L) vies for the ball with FC Basel’s Swiss defender Fabian Schaer (R) during the Europa League semi-final second leg football match between Chelsea and FC Basel at Stamford Bridge in London on May 2, 2013. Chelsea won the match 3-1. AFP PHOTO/BEN STANSALL

FABIAN SCHAER

Switzerland has often seemed to lack a world-class central defender in recent years. Fabian Schaer might be the solution.

The 22-year-old Schaer has impressed in only his second season with Swiss champion FC Basel and since making his international debut against Brazil.

With excellent long-range passing and the composure to take penalties for his club, Schaer has also scored three times in his first three national team matches.

Defensively, Schaer is still developing and has missed valuable playing time with knee and ankle injuries since December.

Schaer has already been linked with Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal and a good World Cup could make him the latest big sale by Basel.

Stephan Lichtsteiner is a modern right-back with old school qualities.

The Juventus player overlaps in attack, gets crosses in, scores his share of goals and does not shirk when the game gets feisty.

Indeed, Lichtsteiner was a big reason that Brazil collectively lost its cool when losing to the Swiss last August.

First-half flashes down Lichtsteiner’s right flank irked Neymar and Marcelo and let Switzerland know it had got under the skin of the World Cup hosts.

A big-game attitude developed with the Italian champions should serve Switzerland’s needs well.

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Haris Seferovic (R) of Real Sociedad competes for the ball with Alfred N Diaye (L) of Real Betis Balompie during the La Liga match between Real Betis Balompie and Real Sociedad de Futbol at Estadio Benito Villamarin on April 26, 2014 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)

HARIS SEFEROVIC

Central striker might be the one position coach Ottmar Hitzfeld is most undecided about.

Haris Seferovic was the No. 9 Hitzfeld thought he had. The Real Sociedad forward earned a run of selections by scoring a 90th-minute winner against Cyprus in qualifying last June.

Seferovic led the attack in the remaining qualifiers but did not add to his tally. Then he spent the night of his 22nd birthday in February in a Spanish police cell with his wife after a public disturbance.

Two weeks later, Hitzfeld gave Josip Drmic another chance in a friendly against Croatia, and the Nuremberg forward scored twice.

Seferovic can win back his coach’s trust by recapturing his early-season form.